A knife switch assembly including a pair of hinged contact knives, arranged in parallel, and moveable between at least two positions. An operator device for moving the pair of contact knives between the at least two positions, and a guide member located between the two contact knives, having two projecting side parts, each projecting side part extending along at least part of a respective side of each contact knife, which side faces a corresponding side of the other contact knife.
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1. A knife switch assembly comprising a pair of hinged contact knives, arranged parallel to each other and connected to each other at a first respective end, and moveable between at least two positions, a first electric contact element comprising a current carrying conductor, said contact knives being made of an electrically conductive material and being electrically connected at said first end to a first electric conductor, an operator device for moving said pair of contact knives between the at least two positions, of which a first position is an open position in which a respective second end of the contact knives is disconnected from any electrical contact, and of which a second position is a first contact position in which said respective second end of the contact knives is in electrical contact with the first electric contact element and, a guide member located between the two contact knives, said guide member having two projecting side parts the, projecting side parts extending along at least part of respective sides of contact knives, wherein each side faces one another, and said guide member is made of a non-conductive material and has a shape adapted to receive the first electric contact element between the two projecting side parts.
2. The knife switch assembly according to
3. The knife switch assembly according to
4. The knife switch assembly according to
5. The knife switch assembly according to
6. An electric power distribution switchgear, comprising a sealed encapsulation inside which is located at least one three-phase module, the at least one three-phase module comprising a knife switch assembly as defined in
7. The electric power distribution switchgear according to
8. The electric power distribution switchgear according to
9. The electric power distribution switchgear according to
10. The electric power distribution switchgear according to
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The present disclosure relates to a knife switch assembly comprising a pair of hinged contact knives movable between at least two positions, and further comprising a first contact element and an operator device for moving the contact knifes between the at least two positions, of which one position is a position in which the contact knifes are in electric contact with the first contact element. The disclosure further relates to an electric power distribution switchgear comprising a three-phase module that comprises a knife switch assembly. The disclosure also relates to a method for preventing electric discharges or flash overs in a switching device for electric power distribution switchgear.
A switchgear is basically a circuit breaker or a general purpose switch of a larger scale, having the function of making it possible to cut off the current to a certain cable in large power networks and in industries. Such a switchgear comprises a circuit breaker and typically also a disconnecting switch or a general purpose switch. The entire switchgear is usually connected to ground, as a security measure.
Switchgears are used in electric power systems, with the purpose to control, protect and isolate electric equipment. In distribution nets, switchgears are located both on the high voltage side and the low voltage side of power transformers. The switchgear on the low voltage side of the transformers may be located in a building, with medium voltages breakers for distribution to end users by means of several individual circuits.
As mentioned, one of the basic functions of switchgears is protection, which includes interruption of short-circuits and overload fault currents while maintaining service to other unaffected distribution circuits in the net. An arc suppressor/eliminator is often provided in the switchgear in order to decrease or, preferably, eliminate any damages that may be caused by faults. An arc suppressor may short out an electric arc within a switchgear, and in doing so it may also prompt a breaker, located up-stream in the net, to clear the fault by cutting the power to the switchgear. Such an arc suppressor may comprise a knife switch, having a pivoting contact knife that is movable in order to connect the current carrying conductor to ground. Such an arc suppressor may also be called an earthing switch.
Switchgears used today in electric power distribution systems for medium and/or high voltages, e.g. 1-1000 kV, such as 12, 24 or 36 kV, are usually gas insulated switchgears (GIS) where the used insulating fluid is Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6). The switchgear is located in a sealed encapsulation, filled with the insulating fluid. In case of an internal arc in the switchgear, hot gasses resulting from vaporization of conductors, insulation and enclosure will flow from the arc area to the surroundings. These gases will increase the pressure inside the encapsulation that will eventually result in a blowout. In order to prevent the buildup of too much pressure, an arc suppressor can be introduced to minimize the arcing time. This arc suppressor may be of the knife switch type. The challenge in obtaining a successful use of arc suppressors is to ensure fast and adequate contact between the arc suppressor, i.e. the contact knives, and the conductors carrying the arc fault current. If the contact is not fast and adequate enough, this may cause a flash-over.
Today the solution is to add a non-conductive guide member, e.g. of plastic, on the current carrying conductor, where the contact knives are intended to come into contact with the conductor. The function of this guide member is to guide the knives to ensure fast and adequate contact (large enough contact area) between the knives and the conductor. The knives must make contact with the conductor at the right place, not too early and not too late, in order to have large enough contact area. However, this arrangement has the disadvantage that triple points may occur where the guide member is located on the current carrying conductor, due to a potentially very high electric field strength where a non-conductive material such as plastic is close to metal. This may result in starting partial discharges or electric flashovers. Another disadvantage is that the guide member absorbs some of the kinetic energy from the contact knives when the moving contact knives hit the guide member, and then the contact knives are pressed apart before they can pinch onto the conductor. This may result in too early pinching of the contact knives onto the conductor. The contact knives will weld immediately to the conductor resulting in a too small contact area.
An object of the present disclosure is to provide an improved knife switch that deals with some of the mentioned disadvantages.
According to the present invention is defined a knife switch assembly comprising a pair of hinged contact knives, arranged parallel to each other and connected to each other at a first respective end, and moveable between at least two positions, and a first electric contact element comprising a current carrying conductor, said contact knives being made of an electrically conductive material and being electrically connected at said first end to a first electric conductor, and further comprising an operator device for moving said pair of contact knives between the at least two positions, of which a first position is an open position in which a second respective end of the contact knives is disconnected from any electrical contact, and a second position is a first contact position in which said second respective end of the contact knives is in electrical contact with the first electric contact element, characterized in that it comprises a guide member located between the two contact knives, said guide member having two projecting side parts, each projecting side part extending along at least part of a respective side of each contact knife, which side faces a corresponding side of the other contact knife, and that said guide member is made of a non-conductive material and has a shape adapted to receive the first electric contact element between the two projecting side parts.
By having a guide member of non-conductive material between the two contact knives instead of having the guide member on the current carrying conductor as in prior art, corresponding to the first contact element, is obtained the advantage that the risk of having triple points on the current carrying parts is avoided. The guide member has the function of guiding the contact knives for proper contact with the first electric contact element and its current carrying conductor.
The guide member may e.g. be made of plastic, a polymer or similar.
According to another feature, the guide member may be configured to press the two contact knives apart when inserted between the two contact knives. This provides the advantage that the contact knives are pre-charged. This has the result that the contact knives do not have to be pushed apart upon contact with the current carrying conductor of the first electric contact element, since they are already slightly pushed apart by the guide member. Thus there is no loss of kinetic energy. When the contact knives are moved towards the first electric contact element comprising a current carrying conductor, they will not immediately pinch onto the contact element as soon as they come into the vicinity of the contact element. Instead the pinching onto the electric contact element will be slightly delayed until a larger inner surface of the respective contact knife is close to the contact element and then the electric field force will be high enough for the contact knives to pinch onto the contact element resulting in electric contact between the first electric contact element and the contact knives. This will ensure the moving contact knives do not come into contact with the first contact element and its current carrying conductor until the intended travel of the contact knives is completed and an adequate electric contact may be obtained.
According to another feature, the guide member may be detachably inserted between the two contact knives and be configured to fall off when the respective second end of the contact knives enters into contact with the first electric contact element during movement of the contact knives from an open position to the first contact position, in which first contact position the respective second end of the contact knives is in electrical contact with the first electric contact element. This will provide for an immediate contact between the contact knives and the first contact element as soon as the guide member has been disposed of in the contact moment.
Alternatively, the guide member may be provided with at least one stop member configured to stop the movement of the contact knives, from the open position to the first contact position, when the contact knives are in a correct position for contact with the first electric contact element. A guide member with a stop member is preferably not detachable. It may be configured to make sure that the angle between the contact knives and the first electric contact element is optimal to ensure adequate contact and to ensure that the movement of the contact knives stops in a correct position in relation to the first contact element.
According to another feature, the first electric conductor, to which the respective first end of the contact knives is electrically connected, may be connected to ground. Through this, a connection to ground is achieved for the first electric contact element and its current carrying conductor, and electric arcs and flashovers may be prevented.
According to another aspect of the invention is defined an electric power distribution switchgear comprising a sealed encapsulation inside which is located at least one three-phase module, the at least one three-phase module comprising a knife switch assembly as defined in any one of the claims above defining a knife switch assembly, one for each phase, and at least one current carrying conductor, one for each phase, forming the first electric contact element of the knife switch assembly. In addition to the already mentioned advantages above, this has the advantage that the function of an arc suppressor switch or earthing switch may be provided by means of said knife switch assembly.
Further, the sealed encapsulation may be filled with an insulation medium or a mixture of insulation medias. Examples of possible medias are any type of gas, such as nitrogen, carbondioxide, sulfurhexaflouride (SF6), air, dry air. The encapsulation should then be gas tight. As an alternative, there may be vacuum in the encapsulation. As another alternative, the medium may be a non-gas medium, e.g. oil.
Accordingly, the sealed encapsulation may be filled with a gas that is dry air, or a gas that comprises air mixed with another gas.
According to yet another aspect of the invention is defined a method for preventing electric discharges or electric arc flash overs in a switching device for electric power distribution switchgear, comprising providing a knife switch assembly with a guide member located between two contact knives of the knife switch assembly, which guide member is made of a non-conductive material. The guide member should be configured to receive an electric contact element, comprising a current carrying conductor, between two projecting parts thereof.
Further, the method may comprise pre-charging the two contact knives of the knife switch assembly by pressing the contact knives apart by means of the guide member.
In addition, the method may comprise adjusting a width of the guide member in order to define the pre-charging in relation to an arc contact force, which width is an external width of the guide member located between the contact knives.
The method may also comprise adjusting a height of projecting side parts of the guide member in order to define where the contact knives will make contact with the first electric contact element.
The knife switch assembly and the switchgear of the present disclosure is e.g. suitable for use in electric power distribution systems arranged as a ring, and comprising a number of gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) installations connected in the ring.
Further features and advantages of the invention will also become apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments.
A detailed description of the present invention and embodiments thereof, given as examples only, will now be made with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which:
In
In the embodiment shown in
The guide member 17 according to the first embodiment, is configured to fall off from the contact knives when the contact knives hits the current carrying conductor 15, when they are moved from the first open position to the closed position by the operator device. This is illustrated in
In
Generally, the guide member 17, 27 should be designed with the objective that the pre-charging of the contact knives should be optimal and that the contact between contact knives 3, 5 and the current carrying conductor 15 should take place in an exact desired relative position, taking into consideration e.g. arc contact force and electric field forces. Consequently, the different measurements of the different parts of the guide member, e.g. the external width of the guide member, the height of the projecting side parts of the guide member, should be adapted to each particular case.
In
Each one of the phases is connected to a first current carrying conductor 15 that enters the encapsulation 310 via an electric bushing 340. For each phase, a knife switch assembly 1 according to the present invention is arranged for connection or disconnection to the current carrying conductor 15 of that phase. In the schematic illustration of
In
Providing a knife switch assembly with a guide member located between two contact knives of the knife switch assembly, which guide member is made of a non-conductive material. The guide member should be configured to receive an electric contact element, comprising a current carrying conductor, between two projecting parts thereof;
Optionally, pre-charging the two contact knives of the knife switch assembly by pressing the contact knives apart by means of the guide member;
Optionally, adjusting a width of the guide member in order to define the pre-charging in relation to an arc contact force, which width is an external width of the guide member located between the contact knives;
Optionally, adjusting a height of projecting side parts of the guide member in order to define where the contact knives will make contact with the first electric contact element.
The invention shall not be considered limited to the illustrated embodiments, but can be modified and altered in many ways, as realised by a person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope defined in the appended claims. For example, the invention may be used for a three position knife switch instead of a two position knife switch.
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Executed on | Assignor | Assignee | Conveyance | Frame | Reel | Doc |
Mar 18 2015 | ABB Schweiz AG | (assignment on the face of the patent) | / | |||
Mar 20 2015 | WEST, JOHN | ABB Technology Ltd | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 039993 | /0223 | |
May 09 2016 | ABB Technology Ltd | ABB Schweiz AG | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 040396 | /0495 |
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